In a communicating apparatus which makes speech and image communication, a proper communication path is selected by a simple construction of a low cost, thereby enabling data communication of a high-speed and high reliability to be performed. If a telephone number of an opponent station corresponds to an VoIP network, a communicating apparatus obtains an IP address of the opponent station from an SIP proxy server and sends and receives communication data on an IP network to/from the opponent station by a file sending/receiving protocol such as FTP, HTTP, or the like. If the telephone number of an opponent station does not correspond to the VoIP, image data is facsimile-modulated, a digital encoding method (64 kbps PCM encoding) suitable for a facsimile modulating method is selected, and an analog facsimile signal obtained by the facsimile modulation is digitally encoded and sent to the opponent station through a media gateway for executing analog/digital signal conversion between the IP network and a public line network.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A communicating apparatus for digitally encoding a speech signal by digital encoding means and sending the coded signal to an opponent station, thereby making VoIP speech communication and sending image data to the opponent station, comprising: discriminating means for discriminating whether the image data is sent to the opponent station through a gateway on an opponent station side; and communication control means for, when the image data is sent to the opponent station, in accordance with a result of said discriminating means that the image data is not sent through the gateway, selecting a first image communicating procedure by which the image data is not facsimile-modulated but sent to the opponent station on an IP network on the basis of a predetermined IP communication protocol by using an IP address of the opponent station obtained from a predetermined server on the basis of a telephone number of the opponent station, and in accordance with a result of said discriminating means that the image data is sent through the gateway, selecting a second image communicating procedure by which the image data is facsimile-modulated by a predetermined facsimile modulating method, an analog facsimile signal obtained by said facsimile modulation is digitally encoded by said digital encoding means, and subsequently, the digital coded signal is sent to the opponent station utilizing a PCM encoding method of at least 64 kbps through the gateway for executing analog/digital signal conversion between the IP network and a public line network, wherein in said second image communicating procedure, the digital encoding method of said digital encoding means is switched to the digital encoding method suitable for said facsimile modulating method, and a tone signal necessary for a facsimile communication procedure or the facsimile-modulated transmission image data is input to said digital encoding means.
2. A communicating apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein when the image data is sent to the opponent station, which one of said first and second image communicating procedures is used is determined by analyzing the telephone number of the opponent station.
3. A communicating apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein in said VoIP speech communication, the digital encoding method of said digital encoding means is selected on the basis of negotiation which is performed on the basis of a VoIP protocol.
4. A communicating apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein in the second image communication procedure, said communication control means switches the digital encoding method of said digital encoding means to a digital encoding method suitable for said facsimile modulating method, and causes said digital encoding means to digitally encode an analog facsimile signal obtained by said facsimile modulation.
5. A control method executed by a communicating apparatus for digitally encoding a speech signal by digital encoding means and sending the coded signal to an opponent station, thereby making VoIP speech communication and sending image data to the opponent station, the method comprising: discriminating whether the image data is sent to the opponent station through a gateway on an opponent station side; and a communicating control step of, when the image data is sent to the opponent station, in accordance with a result of said discriminating step that the image data is not sent through the gateway, selecting a first image communicating procedure by which the image data is not facsimile-modulated but sent to the opponent station on an IP network on the basis of a predetermined IP communication protocol by using an IP address of the opponent station obtained from a predetermined server on the basis of a telephone number of the opponent station, and in accordance with a result of said discriminating step that the image data is sent through the gateway, selecting a second image communicating procedure by which the image data is facsimile-modulated by a predetermined facsimile modulating method, an analog facsimile signal obtained by said facsimile modulation is digitally encoded by said digital encoding means, and subsequently, the digital coded signal is sent to the opponent station utilizing a PCM encoding method of at least 64 kbps through the gateway for executing analog/digital signal conversion between the IP network and a public line network, wherein in said second image communicating procedure, the digital encoding method of said digital encoding means is switched to the digital encoding method suitable for said facsimile modulating method, and a tone signal necessary for a facsimile communication procedure or facsimile-modulated transmission image data is input to said digital encoding means.
6. A control method of the communicating apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein when the image data is sent to the opponent station, which one of said first and second image communicating procedures is used is determined by analyzing the telephone number of the opponent station.
7. A control method of the communicating apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein in said VoIP speech communication, the digital encoding method of said digital encoding means is selected on the basis of negotiation which is performed on the basis of a VoIP protocol.
8. A control method of communicating apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein in the second image communication procedure, the digital encoding method of said digital encoding means is switched to a digital encoding method suitable for said facsimile modulating method, and said digital encoding means digitally encodes an analog facsimile signal obtained by said facsimile modulation.
9. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium on which is encoded a control program to be executed by a communicating apparatus for digitally encoding a speech signal by digital encoding means and sending the coded signal to an opponent station, thereby making VoIP speech communication and sending image data to the opponent station, the program comprising: a discriminating step of discriminating whether the image data is sent to the opponent station through a gateway on an opponent station side; and a communicating control step of, when the image data is sent to the opponent station, in accordance with a result of said discriminating step that the image data is not sent through the gateway, selecting a first image communicating procedure by which the image data is not facsimile-modulated but sent to the opponent station on an IP network on the basis of a predetermined IP communication protocol by using an IP address of the opponent station obtained from a predetermined server on the basis of a telephone number of the opponent station, and in accordance with a result of said discriminating step that the image data is sent through the gateway, selecting a second image communicating procedure by which the image data is facsimile-modulated by a predetermined facsimile modulating method, an analog facsimile signal obtained by said facsimile modulation is digitally encoded by said digital encoding means, and subsequently, the digital coded signal is sent to the opponent station utilizing a PCM encoding method of at least 64 kbps through the gateway for executing analog/digital signal conversion between the IP network and a public line network, wherein in said second image communicating procedure, the digital encoding method of said digital encoding means is switched to the digital encoding method suitable for said facsimile modulating method, and a tone signal necessary for a facsimile communication procedure or facsimile-modulated transmission image data is input to said digital encoding means.
10. A computer-readable storage medium according to claim 9 , wherein when the image data is sent to the opponent station, which one of said first and second image communicating procedures is used is determined by analyzing the telephone number of the opponent station.
11. A computer-readable storage medium according to claim 9 , wherein in said VoIP speech communication, the digital encoding method of said digital encoding means is selected on the basis of negotiation which is performed on the basis of a VoIP protocol.
12. A computer-readable storage medium according to claim 9 , wherein in the second image communication procedure, the digital encoding method of said digital encoding means is switched to a digital encoding method suitable for said facsimile modulating method, and said digital encoding means digitally encodes an analog facsimile signal obtained by said facsimile modulation.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
August 27, 2004
July 12, 2011
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